Pennsylvania Republican lawmakers on Oct. 28 joined their colleagues from Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia to address restoring energy affordability and reliability across the Mid-Atlantic region during the first-ever, multi-state policy hearing.
“Families, businesses, and communities across our region are feeling the same pressure — rising electricity bills, regulatory bottlenecks, and power shortages,” said PA House Rep. David Rowe (R-85), who chaired the hearing. “Our states share the same grid, the same transmission lines, and the same responsibility to keep the lights on. This hearing marks a unified effort to move beyond symbolism and toward real solutions.”
Hosted by the Pennsylvania House Republican Policy Committee, the hearing brought together legislators and energy policy experts to highlight the urgent need for coordinated, common-sense reforms.
A representative from PJM Interconnection LLC, the regional transmission organization serving 67 million people across 13 states and the District of Columbia, outlined the challenges posed by accelerating energy demand, premature plant retirements, and delays in new generation.
While PJM is not predicting immediate blackouts, “without a significant course correction, the region could face a resource adequacy deficit by 2030 — or even sooner,” said Stephen Bennett, PJM’s senior manager for regulatory and legislative affairs.
Bennett pointed out that load growth from artificial intelligence, data centers, and electrification is outpacing new generation and underscored the need for all resources — natural gas, coal, nuclear, and renewables — to meet future demand.
Rob Jennings, vice president of natural gas markets at the American Petroleum Institute, pointed to Pennsylvania’s 400,000 energy-supported jobs and called for permitting reform to reconnect energy supply and demand.
“There’s no question about supply. We have it. There’s no question about demand. It’s there,” Jennings said. “The question is whether we can connect the two.”
Rachel Gleason, executive director of the Pennsylvania Coal Alliance, cited data showing coal’s critical role during recent peak demand events.
“PJM needs more power, long duration, dispatchable capacity power, because you can’t run a reliable and resilient grid based on the weather,” said Gleason. “Maintaining the existing coal fleet isn’t just a reliability imperative — it’s a necessity.”
Maddie Milam, executive director of the Consumer Energy Alliance, advocated for an all-of-the-above approach grounded in energy realism, and warned that “a patchwork of incompatible state mandates” and permitting delays are straining the grid and driving up costs.
Lawmakers from New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia shared how policy decisions in their states are impacting regional reliability.
For example, New Jersey Assemblyman John DiMaio, the Assembly Republican leader, called for the state to leave RGGI immediately, remove unnecessary taxes, and bring new gas generation online.
Maryland Delegate Brian Chisholm, a Republican, said that five plant closures and restrictive mandates have led to “skyrocketing energy bills that are crushing Marylanders.”
Meanwhile, Virginia Republican Delegate Mike Webert, joining virtually, stressed that his state imports 38 percent of its energy.
The state lawmakers also critiqued Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s approach, noting that the governor’s rhetoric on leadership has not translated into meaningful progress at home.
Pennsylvania’s electricity costs remain below the national average, according to the Energy Information Administration, while neighboring RGGI states face steeper prices, according to Elizabeth Stelle, vice president of policy at the Commonwealth Foundation.
“Competitive markets are how we got to reliable, relatively stable electricity costs in Pennsylvania and that’s how we will continue to have those in Pennsylvania,” Stelle said.
The hearing concluded with consensus that the Mid-Atlantic must coordinate on grid stability, permitting reform, and responsible energy policy to meet growing regional demand.
“There was a time in America where we came together as a country,” said Bennett. “So rather than cast blame, let’s come together as a country, right, left, fossil, renewable — it doesn’t matter. We need supply, and we need to make sure that we can meet the demand.”
“Energy policy isn’t about politics — it’s about people,” Rowe added. “Working families, small businesses, and manufacturers depend on affordable, reliable energy. Together, we’re ready to lead with solutions that restore both.”